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Biography information for Shabana Mahmood

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2019-06-24T16:41:12.587Z

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<p>The Government is committed to ensuring that older people receive the support they
are entitled to and the DWP targets activity on engaging with people who may be eligible
to benefits at pivotal stages, such as when they claim State Pension or report a change
in their circumstances. The DWP uses a wide range of channels to communicate information
about benefits to potential customers; including information on <a href="https://gov.uk/"
target="_blank">https://gov.uk/</a>, in leaflets and by telephone. DWP staff in Pension
Centres and Jobcentres including visiting officers are able to provide help and advice
about entitlement to benefits, as are staff in Local Authorities who administer Housing
Benefit.</p><p> </p><p>Potential customers can use the Pension Credit <a href="https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit-calculator"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit-calculator</a> to check if they
are likely to be eligible and get an estimate of what they may receive. People wishing
to claim Pension Credit can do so by calling 0800 99 1234.</p><p> </p><p>One of the
best ways to reach eligible customers is through trusted stakeholder working in the
community and we have developed the Pension Credit toolkit, as an on-line tool for
agencies and welfare rights organisations to use in order to encourage Pension Credit
take-up. It can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pension-credit-toolkit"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pension-credit-toolkit</a></p><p>
</p><p>The toolkit contains resources for anyone working with pensioners and includes
guides to Pension Credit. It also contains publicity material and guidance designed
to help older people understand how they could get Pension Credit and help organisations
support someone applying for Pension Credit as well as ideas for encouraging take-up.
The toolkit also provides links to information about disability and carers benefits.</p><p>
</p><p>Most recently we have provided to relevant organisations a fact sheet about
Pension Credit and the recent changes for mixed age couples to ensure that accurate
information is available in the places where people are most likely to seek information.</p>

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether a person
over the age of 75 who is in receipt of pension credit and living with a spouse who
is under the age of 75 will have to pay for a TV licence.

<p>The BBC is responsible for the administration of the over 75 licence fee concession
from June 2020. It has said that any household with someone aged over 75 who receives
Pension Credit will be eligible for a free TV licence funded by the BBC from 01 June
2020.</p>

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions
he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on increasing the uptake
of pension credit to reduce the effect of limiting free TV licences fee for people
over 75.

<p>Ministers have regular discussions with the Department for Work and Pensions on
this issue. In light of the recent BBC decision on the future of the over 75 licence
fee concession, the Government have asked the BBC to consider a range of measures
to further support the most vulnerable pensioners, including measures to promote the
take up of Pension Credit.</p>

​The UK is a strong supporter of a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the
Cyprus issue. We have therefore been following recent developments in the Eastern
Mediterranean with concern and would like to see the situation de-escalated. The UK
has made it clear to Turkey, both privately and publicly, that we oppose their plans
to drill. We continue to recognise the sovereign right of the Republic of Cyprus to
exploit the oil and gas in its internationally agreed Exclusive Economic Zone. We
believe it is critical for stability in the Mediterranean, and for the integrity of
the Rules-Based International System, that disputes such as this are resolved through
dialogue and in accordance with international law. We will continue to work with the
Republic of Cyprus, Turkey and the wider region to that end. We also continue to suppot
a just and lasting settlement in Cyprus as the best means of resolving the difficulties
caused by the division of the island.

<p>In order to make a child maintenance assessment the Child Maintenance Service must
identify a receiving parent, a paying parent and at least one qualifying child.</p><p>
</p><p>It is not necessary for a person to be receiving Child Benefit for them to
be treated as a receiving parent. However, entitlement to Child Benefit is based on
an overall care test which is broadly similar to the Child Maintenance policy on day
to day care. Payment of Child Benefit is therefore a very good indicator of who should
be treated as the receiving parent. Where Child Benefit is not in payment, the Service
will request additional evidence from both parents.</p><p> </p><p>For child maintenance
purposes, a child must be under 20 years of age and in full time non-advanced education
or approved training, and eligible for Child Benefit. They also need to be habitually
resident in the UK and usually living in the same household as the receiving parent.</p><p>
</p><p>Child Benefit may stay in payment for a period after a child under 20 ceases
education or training until a 'terminal date' is reached. Child Benefit will remain
payable from the date education or training ceased up to and including the week that
includes the first terminal date.</p><p> </p><p>Both paying and receiving parents
have a responsibility to inform the Child Maintenance Service of any change in circumstances.
If parents inform the Service that a qualifying child has left education, the Child
Maintenance Service will seek to verify this and update the maintenance calculation
accordingly.</p>

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what processes his Department uses with further
education institutions to verify a child's full-time attendance in education in relation
to the eligibility for child benefit payments.

<p>HMRC does not approach education institutions to verify information regarding eligibility
for child benefit payments. The claimant is required to provide all the information
necessary to support their claim. Details on how to claim can be found on <a href="https://www.gov.uk/child-benefit/how-to-claim"
target="_blank">GOV.UK</a></p>

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what safeguards her Department
have put in place to ensure that the system for child maintenance payments is not
open to abuse by people who have left full time education.

<p>In order to make a child maintenance assessment the Child Maintenance Service must
identify a receiving parent, a paying parent and at least one qualifying child.</p><p>
</p><p>It is not necessary for a person to be receiving Child Benefit for them to
be treated as a receiving parent. However, entitlement to Child Benefit is based on
an overall care test which is broadly similar to the Child Maintenance policy on day
to day care. Payment of Child Benefit is therefore a very good indicator of who should
be treated as the receiving parent. Where Child Benefit is not in payment, the Service
will request additional evidence from both parents.</p><p> </p><p>For child maintenance
purposes, a child must be under 20 years of age and in full time non-advanced education
or approved training, and eligible for Child Benefit. They also need to be habitually
resident in the UK and usually living in the same household as the receiving parent.</p><p>
</p><p>Child Benefit may stay in payment for a period after a child under 20 ceases
education or training until a 'terminal date' is reached. Child Benefit will remain
payable from the date education or training ceased up to and including the week that
includes the first terminal date.</p><p> </p><p>Both paying and receiving parents
have a responsibility to inform the Child Maintenance Service of any change in circumstances.
If parents inform the Service that a qualifying child has left education, the Child
Maintenance Service will seek to verify this and update the maintenance calculation
accordingly.</p>

<p>In 2020-21, the government will introduce a 2% company car tax rate for cars with
zero emissions. Together with new, reduced rates for plug-in hybrids, these reforms
will help the government to meet its environmental objectives.</p><p> </p><p>To provide
certainty for company car drivers, employers and employees, the government aims to
announce company car tax rates in advance of implementation. Therefore, the government
has no plans to introduce these rates ahead of 6 April 2020.</p>